New Buckmark Failure

[Joe09]

Hi, Fellow Calgunners,
Long story short. New gun owner.

I finally found a good deal on a new Buckmark. Had it sent to my local range. Filled out the DROs and 10 days later picked it up and (since I'm at the range), started shooting.

Got about 120 rounds out or so and everything was fine and fun.

But a little after that I pulled the trigger on a shot and it wasn't right. It sounded different, felt different, and I felt like I was sprayed with something. Smoke was coming out from the slide of the buckmark. A big "Oh oh" went off in my head.

Now the gun won't fire. I hear a click, but there is no boom. Upon inspection of the ejected rounds, the pin is barely striking the outer tip of the cartridge.

I was using CCI rounds.

Any idea what is malfunctioning?

[Izzy43]

Sounds like you had an "out of battery" discharge of a round, meaing that the round fired before the bolt was fully closed. I think you should disassemble the action and check for a broken firing pin, maybe a spring, etc. Do a close inspection of all parts of the action for any damage. This happens with semi-auto pistols and rifles sometimes. Also check your magazine for any damage. Good luck and be happy you were not injured. Its why eye protection is so important when shooting.

Edit: Since this is a new firearm if there is damage the warranty should cover you even though it may be a pain to have to send it back to the manufacturer.

[Joe09]

Thank you, Izzy43.

Is there something I did wrong to cause the "OBD"? Also is there something I can do in the future to prevent it from happening again? Or is it just a rare but always possible occurrence?

[Izzy43]

Thank you, Izzy43.

Is there something I did wrong to cause the "OBD"? Also is there something I can do in the future to prevent it from happening again? Or is it just a rare but always possible occurrence?

First, did you clean the firearm before you started shooting? Many firearms have a lot of presevation, grease, etc straight from the factory. Without a thorough cleaning these materials can prevent the firearm from functioning properly. That's one issue that could contribute to a malfunction. What ammo were you using and was it within the parameters specified by the manufacturer in the firearm's manual?

Some folks like to shoot Hyper Velocity ammo in their pistols and many manufacturer's specify that's a no-no in their pistol, Ruger SR-22 being one.

As far as preventing this in the future just be sure you are using ammo appropriate for the firearm, lightly lube the action (just a drop or two of gun oil is sufficient) and clean it when it gets dirty. Depending on how clean the ammo is that you are using every 500 rounds or so should be enough. I inspect my pistols for cleanliness each time before and after a range visit. Barrels need less cleaning than the action. I have shot several thousand rounds thru my rimfire rifles before cleaning the barrel. I usually clean the barrel when accuracy falls off but clean the action after a couple hundred rounds or when its obviously dirty.

As I said earlier a thorough inspection of the firearm should reveal why it is having light strikes on the rim. I suspect a broken firing pin or spring or both. Also take a close look at the extractor, out of battery firings damage those quite frequently. I recommend that you do not try to shoot the pistol until you ascertain why it is malfunctioning. It is possible that it may fire out of battery again if there is a problem with the bolt returning to battery after loading a round in the chamber. Be safe and good luck.

PS: You were probably sprayed with gunpowder when the malfunction occured and also there may have been a case rupture since the round was not fully in the chamber and the bolt locked in battery. Can be very dangerous so keep them shooting glasses on.

[Schlyme]

Check the browning web site to see if there is a local shop they list as a repair shop. I lost a pin off my front site not to long ago. got it replaced in less then 5 minutes for $5. best of luck getting it fixed! it really is a fun gun to shoot!

[cwilliams]

Check to see if the two screws holding the top strap above the slide have come loose. Happens on mine a lot. The follower pushes the rounds up against the slide which pushes up against the strap. If the strap is loose, the slide "rises" and things don't align like they should causing problems.

This.

After the first time I pulled the top strap, the screws started loosening up causing the problems the OP described. I put some blue thread locker on the screws and it cured the problem.